In recent months, I've enjoyed the opportunity to attend the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Annual Meeting in Baltimore and the Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD) Conference in San Francisco. I always appreciate the diversity of the conversations and sessions generated by the many creative and talented people who attend these events.

This year, one of my takeaways was the number of intriguing stories I heard about collaborating or forming different types of collaborations. I noted the varying methods of collaborating and varied styles of working together that people consider to be collaborative. Although there were variations in depth and style, the stories I heard clearly said to me that more individuals, teams and companies are thinking about or rethinking how they successfully work collaboratively with other businesses, individuals and their clients.

It seems to me this is part of a larger shift as companies and other organizations (small and large) are questioning and engaging in some retooling of how they work, and of how they form competent collaborations in today's economic climate. And, as those who do it well know, strategically built and deeply collaborative relationships produce a win-win not only for the client, but for each partner who works with others to pursue new opportunities and deliver projects that exceed expectations.

Such a "collaborative competence" requires agility; by its very nature, it has to be applied differently in every situation. Building true collaborative relationships, teams, or even a collaborative-minded organization is not easily accomplished, and it takes constant work from everyone involved. All collaborative projects require great trust and willingness on the part of all the players to work toward the success of the other partner(s). But it is most certainly worth the effort.

At Xibitz, we have long valued the benefits that can come from strategically collaborating with clients, designers and partners. As a creative company that produces environments for museums, corporations, healthcare and sports, and one that is dedicated to working with the architectural design community, we are proud of our efforts to expand our continually evolving capabilities - not only in project execution, but in ways to collaborate as well.

In this newsletter, I've attached four stories that I believe to be solid evidence of that commitment. I welcome your questions and reactions, and offer my thanks to those who have collaborated with us on these interesting and rewarding projects.

James Hungerford

CEO

Xibitz, Inc

Xibitz and Kahler Slater might be two separate companies, but they came together as one to meet the needs of Astellas Pharma US, Inc. - even before the project began.

As part of its new $150 million headquarters for the Americas in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook, Astellas sought support to communicate its identity, differentiators, and promises to customers and other stakeholders.

Xibitz and Kahler Slater presented their combined expertise and capabilities to Astellas and, upon being awarded the project, took a matter of only months to collaborate with the client to identify and execute the optimal way to achieve the project's goals. With Kahler Slater leading the design process, Xibitz provided contract and account and project management, design solutions, costing, and technical and production techniques to develop a layered framing system for three 22-foot-tall environmental branding walls - integrating back-lit fabric and plexiglass, changeable magnetic tiles and multimedia content.

Designed and delivered by a team of top-tier architects, engineers and contractors, the facility meets Astellas' operational requirements and reflects the company's brand. The result is a unique property which company leaders were proud to unveil and which captures Astellas' vision of "Changing Tomorrow."

Creating an exhibit for multiple audiences requires a team that can leverage its combined strengths imaginatively and effectively.

The University of Tennessee Research Foundation (UTRF), in conjunction with its West Tennessee Solar Farm project, recognized this need when soliciting companies through an RFP process to design, build, and eventually install a new immersive and interactive exhibit.

Submitting a combined proposal, Perkins+Will Branded Environments and Xibitz were awarded the project, beginning a highly collaborative design/build approach. Working with UTRF and solar farm management, the team developed a solution capable of educating and resonating with a wide target audience, from 4-H groups to solar-value-chain industry leaders to city/county government and more.

Visioning sessions with the client team and target audiences resulted in the identification of four primary stories:  "Plugged In" (history), "Get Connected" (conservation), "How it Works," and "Race to the Future," all of which are linked through a central "Illumination Station" interactive console.

The combined result is SPECTRUM, a unique experience that will teach visitors about the past, present and future of solar power in Tennessee, and which makes complex concepts fun through attention-grabbing graphics, dynamic use of scale and creative interactive technologies. Relying on light as a narration device, the exhibit will engage users upon arrival and spark a sense of discovery. It will be installed as part of a Welcome Center when the building is complete in late 2013.

The exhibit also has a mobile element to be used at tradeshows, educational venues and public events to promote the UTRF brand and solar power industry. 

Diverse capabilities - not often found in one individual, team or even company - are a hallmark of museum work.  And they are why Xibitz and Lord Cultural Resources have developed a productive partnership to work with clients like the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML).

On June 15, 2013, visitors witnessed a fruit of this collaboration - at the grand opening of the NCSML's new 7,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art permanent exhibition:  Faces of Freedom: The Czech and Slovak Journey.

To get there, the project team conducted four intensive Visioning Workshops with the NCSML project team and approximately 70 stakeholders from diverse fields, including education, tourism and culture, as well as émigrés and descendants. These sessions highlighted the salience of certain themes, topics and exhibition priorities and characteristics, guiding the development of the interpretive plan and concept design to revolve around themes of freedom, immigration, human agency, and culture and identity. The interpretive plan also took into account other facets of the Museum Campus, to ensure an integrated and cohesive visitor experience.

One of the most strategic collaborative partnerships is that of the joint venture - and it was this kind of organized and integrated strategy that brought together the creative talents and experiences of three companies for the new North Dakota Heritage Center expansion project. After a formal qualification and review process, the State Historical Society of North Dakota hired Great Plains Exhibit Development Joint Venture - comprised of Xibitz, Lord Cultural Resources, and Taylor Studios - to design, develop and install exhibits in three new galleries totaling 33,000 square feet.

In addition to planning and designing new exhibition elements, the team was charged with developing a plan to refurbish several existing exhibit cases, and integrating existing murals into new displays.

Celebrating the state's unique environment, inspiring history and a "can do" excitement for the future, the expansion will use the latest in visitor interpretive techniques, employ inventive media, and establish a new roster of public and educational programs. An inspiring mix of stories and science, interactive and reflective experiences, and traditional and contemporary exhibit methods - including recreated environments, dioramas, interactive media, and hands-on/minds-on exhibits - will respond to varied learning styles and audience needs.

The Heritage Center's Adaptation Gallery: Geologic Time will open in September 2013, its Innovation Gallery: Early Peoples in January 2014, and its Inspiration Gallery: Yesterday and Today in November 2014.